Predoctoral Training Program in Chemistry & Biology

描述（由申请人提供）：生物化学与分子生物学系（BMB）和化学系（化学）在芝加哥大学提出了一个跨学科的延续和扩展，博士前培训计划针对化学和生物科学的接口。该计划强调交叉训练，重点是合成和机械。在首席研究员的指导下，与教师指导委员会和教师参与者指定的联合主任/联合首席研究员密切协商，该计划通过教师招聘和跨学科科学新课程的引入进行了显着扩展。九名教师在BMB任命，七名在化学，和一个在病理学和神经生物学，药理学和生理学的部门形成该计划的教学组成部分。自六年前启动以来，该项目已招募了七名新教师。交叉培训通过以下方式实现：（1）在其他科学学科的部门作为选修两门课程的圆满完成;（2）在其他学科的参与教师的指导下，在研究生学习的第一年的春季季度首次任命该计划的选修研究轮换;（3）由主要研究顾问与其他部门的共同顾问协调指导学生，直到最后的博士学位。口头答辩;及（4）参与一系列的每月会议，在整个学年指定为“讨论在化学和生物学的接口”，以获得熟悉的理论概念和方法。教师的跨学科研究兴趣的广泛范围，通过合作研究项目和互动得到加强，确保了各种有意义的交叉培训经验的机会。与六年前致力于跨学科研究和教学的教师的最初的小核心相比，该计划目前享有广泛的教师支持，并为培养学生在化学和生物学界面的前沿研究提供了支持性环境。这将大大加强通过搬迁的实验室的所有参与BMB和化学教师到新的研究所跨部门的研究在未来10个月内。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (BMB) and the Department of Chemistry (Chem) at The University of Chicago propose continuation and expansion of an interdisciplinary, predoctoral training program directed at the interface of the chemical and biological sciences. The program emphasizes crosstraining with a synthetic and mechanistic focus. Under the direction of the Principal Investigator in close consultation with a faculty Steering Committee and the co-director/co-principal investigator designated by faculty participants, the program has undergone significant expansion through faculty recruitment and introduction of new courses in interdisciplinary science. Nine faculty members with appointments in BMB, seven in Chem, and one each in the Departments of Pathology and of Neurobiology, Pharmacology, & Physiology form the teaching component of the program. Seven new faculty members have been recruited to the program since its initiation six years ago. Cross-training is achieved by: (1) satisfactory completion of two courses in the department of the other scientific discipline as electives; (2) an elective research rotation under the guidance of a participating faculty member in the other discipline upon initial appointment to the program in the Spring Quarter of the first year of graduate study; (3) coordinated mentoring of student-trainees by the primary research advisor together with a co-advisor of the other department up to the time of the final Ph. D. oral defense; and (4) participation in a series of monthly meetings throughout the academic year designated as "Discussions at the Interface of Chemistry & Biology" to gain acquaintance with theoretical concepts and methods. The broad scope of the interdisciplinary research interests of the faculty, strengthened through collaborative research projects and interactions, ensures a large variety of opportunities for a meaningful cross-training experience. In contrast to the initial, small nucleus of faculty committed to cross-disciplinary research and teaching six years ago, the program presently enjoys broad faculty support and offers a supportive environment for training of students in cutting-edge research at the interface of chemistry and biology. This will be significantly enhanced through relocation of the laboratories of all participating BMB and Chem faculty into the new Institute for Interdivisional Research over the next 10-month period.